1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical and dental optical diagnostic instruments, and more particularly to an integrated hand held viewing scope and display for use as an otoscope, ophthalmoscope, larynx illumination, nasopharynx illuminator, dermatologic magnifier and anoscope.
2. Background Information
Various hand held instruments for use by a physician or dentist during examination of a patient have been known in the art for many years. Such hand held instruments include the otoscope for examination of the ear, ophthalmoscope for examination of the eye, larynx illuminator (throat), nasal pharynx illuminator (nasal passages), dermatologic magnifier (skin) and anoscope (lower G.I. tract).
Also, in the prior art, it has been known to employ miniature or micro-video cameras in connection with various surgical procedures which occur in the operating room. Examples of such video cameras are known as remote head color CCD cameras. These cameras typically employ an array of semiconductive chips using a technology known as charge coupled diode sensors. Such micro-cameras are capable of yielding more than 500 lines of resolution per axis, resulting from the use of 400,000 or more pixels. Use of such micro-video cameras and related equipment, such as endocouplers, have been known for some time in connection with certain types of surgery and, particularly, surgery conducted through the use of small incisions in the body wall in videoendoscopy procedures. Such procedures have become increasingly commonplace in connection with procedures upon the gall bladder, appendix, intestine, etc., where the problem is of an internal nature.
In addition to relatively widespread use of such micro-video technology in the operating room, which includes the display of a procedure upon separate monitors, this technology has also been utilized in the dentist's or physician's office in the context of otherwise routine examination and diagnosis. An example of an instrument incorporating this technology is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,605, issued to Cane et al. This device discloses a hand held optical diagnostic instrument including a CCD sensor and an external light source. The instrument is coupled to a discreet monitor which may permit both patient and physician to observe an image of the examination. Moreover, devices of this type may be utilized to produce a video record of such an examination and/or provide either a video tape of the examination or selected print frames thereof.
Such devices may also be used to provide a video link to a satellite or other communications means from a video interface of the system. This may enable consultants to be utilized either in real time, or in a batch mode, to provide "second opinions" to the examining medical personel or paramedic who may be located in a geographically remote region and/or may possess limited skills in the specialty to which the examination relates. Such activity has become known as telemedicine.
A disadvantage of such devices, however, is that they tend to be awkward to use, as such instruments tend to be difficult for the examining physician to hold, to manipulate and to obtain the necessary views for the examination while simultaneously viewing the image on the remote monitor. This is due to the need for the examining care provider to manipulate the instrument relative to the patient, while looking away from the patient to the monitor. Thus, while many prior art instruments may be designed to facilitate manipulation by the user, the ergonomics of such devices tends to divert the users attention away from the patient during examination, which may result in discomfort to the patient due to errant manipulation of the instrument. This drawback may be particularly problematic with respect to new users, or those with minimal training in the use of such instruments.
Thus, a need exists for an ergonomically improved handheld dental/medical instrument which enables a user to simultaneously observe both the patient and the instrument while viewing an image captured thereby.